Lingering Moments
by Always a Bookworm
Summary: A series of short HieixMukuro vignettes. Fluffiness and OOCness abound. No flames please! COMPLETE!
1. Beautiful

**Okay, my first Yu Yu Hakusho fic. Yay.**

**Don't own. Don't remind me.**

**This is HieixMukuro. I don't want people just reviewing to say this pairing sucks, or that Hiei and Kurama belong together, and 'what the hell are you doing pairing_ those_ two together'. Don't like, don't read. Mukuro haters- you have been warned.**

**Wanings: Readers will probably drown in fluff. They're pretty OOC, too.**

**These will be really short, but I'll update as regularly as school allows.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

I'm watching her as she sleeps. She's beautiful, really.

If you look past the scars.

Her hair is longer now- she doesn't fight so much anymore. Its ginger sheen glints in the dim light as it rests on the pillow.

Her face is… peaceful. She looks happy. Content.

This is a side to Mukuro that most demons never see, although, if they did, I'm sure I'd have more competition.

As it is, demons just don't seem interested in having her for a mate. I can't see why. She's brave, clever and beautiful.

Well, she's beautiful to me.

She stirs in my arms, and murmurs my name.

I smile.

Yes, she's beautiful all right.

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**Thanks for reading!**

**Always a Bookworm**


	2. Overprotective

**This one's from Mukuro's POV. It'll alternate throughout the chapters. Enjoy!**

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He's talking to his friend. Kurama.

I know the fox means a lot to him- they're very close friends.

He'd deny it, though. Goes against the whole 'I have no friends and that's the way I like it' attitude.

Yeah right.

Hiei's face is expressionless as usual, but I know him so well that I can tell what he's thinking.

His relaxed stance means there's no danger nearby.

The slight twitch at the corner of his mouth and the sparkle in his eyes, which most let go unnoticed, means that he's enjoying the conversation.

The bags under his eyes mean that he was watching over me in my sleep.

Again.

I shake my head affectionately. He's far too overprotective.

They get up to leave. I look up alarmed- where are they going?

But Hiei glances my way with an indulgent look that tells me they're just going outside. Nothing is wrong.

I breathe a silent sigh of relief, then grin guiltily.

I suppose I'm a bit overprotective as well.

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**Again, thanks for reading!**

**-Always a Bookworm**


	3. Happy

The fox guessed before I even knew it myself.

I think he has some kind of strange gift that allows him to read other people's feelings like a book.

It can be incredibly annoying.

When he bid me farewell today, he flashed me that smug smile- the one that clearly says 'I was right, I was right. Aren't I good matchmaker?'

He seems to be under the delusion that he is the sole cause for my present situation.

Just because he worked out what I was feeling.

And told me that Mukuro probably felt the same way.

But I don't go in for that sort of mush.

If anyone asks, our marriage was purely political- the alliance of two strong demons.

Okay, so my friends know the truth, but they know from experience not to annoy me.

Actually, even if they did, I don't think I would care.

Yeah.

I'm that happy.


	4. Surprise

**Something happens in this one, something big! The tension's killing me. So I'll just shut up and let you guys read it.**

* * *

"Hiei?"

"What is it?" he mutters grumpily.

"Um…. Nothing," I rub my temples wearily as I settle into his embrace. This is going to be harder than I thought.

He rests his head on mine, eyes closed, breathing even. It is early morning- I can see some chinks of light filtering into the room.

"Hiei?" I try again.

"Damn it, Mukuro, that's the seventh time you've been about to tell me something- just spit it out so I can get some sleep!"

"I'm pregnant."

That wakes him up.

He stares at me with wild uncomprehending eyes. I stifle a laugh. His hair is all tousled, and the expression on his face is priceless.

I wish I had a camera; those human inventions can be quite useful.

"What?" he asks, shakily, sitting up on one elbow.

"I'm having your child."

If it were possible for him to have a heart attack, he would be having one now. His eyes widen, and he looks like he's trying to recall the art of speech.

"Aren't you pleased?" I ask, quietly.

I am. Terrified- what do I know about children?- but pleased. And happy. And excited.

But I think all Hiei feels right now is shock.

"Yeah, I guess," he still looks pretty dazed. It may take some time for him to compose his features into his normal blankness.

I smile. That's as much as I'm going to get out of him today.

Closing my eyes I lean back into his arms.

The last thing I hear before I sink into sleep is:

"Kurama's going to love this."

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**Over and out**

**-Always a Bookworm**


	5. Scary

**Here's the next one!**

**By the way, some of you might be wondering if Mukuro can actually have children. Basically in this, she can, so this is could be seen as slightly AU. Thanks to ForgottenKaze to pointing this out to me!**

* * *

I put my arm around my wife, and gently stroke the swell of her belly. It will only be a few months now, and I'll be a father.

Scary thought that.

Me, proclaimed by so many as a heartless killer, become a dad?

Of course, _some_ think it's hilarious.

When I told my friends, their reactions were exactly as I predicted.

Kuwabara stared at me in bewilderment, whilst expressions ranging from shock to hilarity sped across his face.

Yusuke went into a fit of uncontrollable laughter (the mature person that he is).

Kurama (after choking somewhat, seems even he wasn't expecting this) congratulated me, smugly, on my imminent fatherhood.

That sent Yusuke into another bout of howls of laughter. It's been five months and he still starts chuckling whenever he sees me or Mukuro.

Idiot.

The only thing that shuts him up is a reminder of his engagement to Keiko; he's still pretty scared about marriage.

Hn.

What do I care anyway? He can laugh all he wants.

I'll just kick his ass the next time we train together.

This pleasant thought must have made me smile, for Mukuro looks up and asks what the matter is.

"Nothing," I reply, and kiss her lightly. A few months and we'll be parents.

Yeah, that's still a scary thought.

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**See you next time!**


	6. Love

**Wow, two chapters in one day? I definitely spend too much time on this site.**

**Serious fluff ahead. You have been warned.**

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It hurts.

_A lot_.

This is nothing like I've ever experienced. None of the battles, none of the excruciating near-death fights that I've ever been in compare to this.

This is completely different.

I'm clutching Hiei's hand so hard I wouldn't be surprised if I broke some of his bones.

His expression is an interesting mixture- pain, anticipation, worry and fear.

Fear?

I didn't realise he was so apprehensive about this.

This thought is cut short, as another spasm of pain shoots through my body.

I can't do this. I thought I could, but I can't. What do I know about being a mother?

Besides, my body's not exactly suited to childbirth. Maybe that's why this is so hard.

This is ridiculous.

"I've changed my mind. I can't have this baby," I growl.

"It's a bit late for that," my husband replies, through gritted teeth. Patience never was his strong point.

The midwife stands at the foot of the bed. She's old, even for a demon, with wrinkled red skin, and a no-nonsense attitude. Apparently, she's the best you can get. But she's not doing anything to stop the pain.

It's getting worse.

I can't cope with this for much longer.

And then…

It stops. The room is silent. It's as though we're frozen.

The spell is broken by a baby's cry.

My baby's cry.

The midwife hands it to me with a short "It's a girl."

I hold her tentatively, in awe. She's beautiful. She inherited my looks, before I was scarred. Red hair, brown eyes, creamy skin.

She looks at me. We stare into each other's eyes, both transfixed by this miracle. Something wet trickles down my cheek.

I realise, to my surprise, that this is the first time I have ever cried.

I glance up at Hiei, and he looks how I feel. Amazed.

Before I met Hiei, I wouldn't have thought it possible to love something so badly that it hurt. But now I have two people that I would give my life for.

Although Hiei doesn't exactly need protection.

Slowly, he reaches down and takes the baby from me. She turns her attention to him, and he too is captivated by her charm.

He's caught. He adores her.

"What shall we call her?" I ask softly, as though not to break the spell.

He looks up, then leans down to kiss me.

"Aimi."

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**Aimi is (according to the website) 'From Japanese _愛 (ai)_ "love, affection" and _美 (mi)_ "beautiful".' Just in case you wanted to know.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-Always a Bookworm**


	7. Lingering Moments

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Well, this is the last one. I just have to say that I've had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. A special thanks to ForgottenKaze, Proxima Shining and LoveAnime 18, who've reviewed this througout. Also to JapanCat and Devil Rebel for their reviews. Thank you all so much!

**A brief note: Yukina knows about Hiei being her brother in this.**

* * *

Aimi.

My little girl.

The next person to call her 'Daddy's little girl' is going to seriously regret it.

It may be true, but it's really bad for my reputation.

She's incredible. An absolute miracle. How she is related to either me or Mukuro is beyond me. It's beyond everyone else as well.

Of course, they all love her. When we took her to Genkai's temple to show her to them, it was a bit overwhelming. The women all cooed and made soppy noises at her, (especially Yukina- she's very excited about being an aunt) and all the men stood around looking awkward, trying to pretend they didn't think she was adorable.

While all the attention was on Aimi, I stood back a bit. I hate being crowded.

"Congratulations, my friend" came a quiet voice from over my shoulder.

"On what, fox? Mukuro did most of the work," I replied, not taking my eyes off my daughter.

"I'm not talking about that. I mean well done for accomplishing what everyone said that it was impossible for you to do. You can love."

"I delight in proving people wrong. And don't be so mushy. It doesn't suit you."

"Whatever you say, Hiei. I think you'll make a great father." And he moved off to congratulate Mukuro.

But he's right. I didn't think I could ever love anyone, apart from maybe Yukina. And as I looked at my wife holding our child in her arms, surrounded by our friends, I feel content.

Life is a strange thing.

When you think you've got it figured, it throws another surprise at you. Like an incredible woman. Or a child you never thought you'd have.

I suppose you can't ever plan your future.

Just live for the present.

Along with those special memories, those lingering moments, that will stay with you forever.

They're more important than you realise.

The End

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**Thanks for reading. Bye!**

**-Always a Bookworm**


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